FMEA
Failure mode and effects analysis: a method for listing how a product or process could fail and deciding what to do first.
What it means in business
In an FMEA a team lists each step or part, the ways it could fail, the effect of each failure on the customer, and its causes. It scores how severe the effect is, how likely the cause and how easy it is to detect, and uses the scores to decide where to act first. The result is a list of actions with owners.
Example
A machining team reviews a drilling step. It lists a hole drilled off-position as a failure, rates it severe because the part will not fit, and adds a fixture check to catch it before the part moves on. This is an illustration of normal business use rather than a quoted case study.
How to use it correctly
Do it with the people who run the process, start from real failures and complaints, act first on the high-severity items, and update the FMEA when the process or product changes.
Common confusion
An FMEA is not a one-time form to satisfy a customer: it only helps if it is kept up to date and the actions are carried out. It is also not the same as a CAPA, which responds to a problem that has already happened.
Related glossary terms
Sources and further reading
Written on 24 October 2026 for lamp. Confirm the current rules with the official source or an adviser before relying on it.